I am "Crunchy"!

Crunchy.... this is a new phrase for me that I have come across these last couple of months. This is the definition I found of "Crunchy":  

An adjective describing persons or things relating to any or all of the following: vegetarianism; herbs; all-natural and organic products (such as food, skin and hair care products, etc.); recycling; protecting and preserving the environment; natural medicine; etc. People that are earthy-crunchy are sometimes called tree-huggers or hippies.

And Crunchy Mama is defined:

Mother who supports, breastfeeding, baby wearing, cloth diapering, co-sleeping, etc. One who questions established medical authority; tends to be vegetarian and/or prepare organic foods.

If you would have told me in high school that I would become a "crunchy" person/mom someday, I would have laughed in your face!  lol

I don't think I am fully crunchy though.  I guess I would consider myself semi-crunchy as far as "crunchiness" goes.

I cloth diaper, babywear, breastfeed, make my own cleaning products, buy organic as much as possible, use natural non-toxic organic products, hang my clothes to dry, use herbs and natural medicines, considering homeschooling, plan on making Emily's baby food, delaying all vaccines, and the list goes on....but I had no idea that making choices like these earned me a new title.

I am totally ok with this whole Crunchy thing, in fact for me it is a compliment.... it means I did my research and I am making important informed decisions and not just following mainstream society and expecting someone else to tell me what works for us....bring on the granola and Birkenstocks! lol

Coconut Oil

Oh my, how I love my Coconut oil!!  I use it for everything.

Coconut oil has been called the “healthiest dietary oil on earth.”

Health benefits include:
- Promotes weight loss ;)
- Provides an immediate source of energy
- Supplies fewer calories than other fats
- Supplies important nutrients necessary for good health
- Is highly resistant to spoilage (long shelf life)
- Is heat resistant (the healthiest oil for cooking)

According to Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife:
- Protects against heart disease, cancer & diabetes
- Acts as an antioxidant in its resistance to attack by free radicals,
protecting against degenerative diseases, in general.
- Protects from a range of infectious diseases. Fife lists 28 infectious
and degenerative disease conditions that coconut oil can help to relieve,
reduce or prevent.
And the list goes on…

I thought  I would share some ways that I use it.

Baby massage: After researching what type of oil to use for Emily's daily baby massage, I knew that coconut oil was the best choice. It is excellent massage oil for the skin. It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skins including dry skin. The benefit of coconut oil on the skin is comparable to that of mineral oil. But unlike mineral oil, there is no chance of having any adverse side effects on the skin with the application of coconut oil. Coconut oil is a safe solution for preventing dryness and flaky skin (Emily had flaky skin when she was born). It also helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections.

Rash Cream:
Emily hasn't really had a diaper rash but if I do notice her bottom getting a little tender or pink, I dab a little on.  It’s easy to apply and melts into her skin, providing natural protection and healing.

Cradle cap:  I've read it helps relieve cradle cap.  I remember Emily had a little dry skin on her head (I had to dig deep through all her hair..lol) but I did notice a few flakes here and there.  I would rub coconut oil on her scalp and the flakes went away.

Stretch marks:  I use to slather coconut oil on my growing belly.  Not sure if it actually prevents stretch marks but it sure did feel good! :)

Lotion/moisturizer: I use it all over my body.  Especially on my feet.  If I have really dry feet, I rub in the oil and immediately put socks on.  In the morning I have super soft feet!


Make-up remover: I dab some coconut oil on a cotton swab and I use it to remove my make-up..usually just my mascara.  It is great for your face!

Chapstick: I dab a little on my lips and it works wonders! It is healthy for you too...no parabens or other yucky stuff you find in chapstick!

Deodarant: I've mentioned it before, but I make my own deodorant. I use coconut oil with cornstarch and baking soda.

Cooking: I've used it to cook before.  I don't use it often. I've used it to grease baking sheets, fry tortillas and I've added it to pancake mixes.  You can't really taste a difference.
*Use 1 cup to 1 cup ratio when replacing other oils/butter in recipes with coconut oil.

There are so many beneficial ways to use coconut oil but I just haven't gotten around to trying them all. Oh, I used to take about 2tblspoons of coconut oil by mouth a day...but I got tired of doing it.  I should start again!
I am looking into using it as a hair conditioner and I've read it is a good alternative to gel.  I am going to see if Josh will give it a try.

I only use Organic Virgin Coconut oil.  I've tried several brands and I don't notice a difference in any of them.
This is a great brand : tropicaltraditions.com
 More more info click here

Green Dishwasher Detergent

As you know, I am on a mission to completely replace all my products with naturally healthy green products.  And I've finally switched out my dishwasher detergent to a more natural one that has no scary chemicals or toxins in it.
I am using BabyGanics Dishwasing dazzler and I like it! I've used it several times and it leaves my dishes sparkly clean! I've read some reviews regarding some awful residue it leaves behind but I haven't had this experience at all.  Maybe it depends on the water or type of dishwasher you have?  It works for us and you can buy it at Babies R Us and some Walmarts.  :)

Pampers Dry Max = Chemical burns! Yikes!

Not sure if you heard about this last month...but I wanted to share it.

An article came out in wall street journal about the pampers dry max product saying:

"Some mothers who blame the reengineered diapers for causing rashes, even "chemical burns," have started a Facebook page to detail their claims and press P&G to reverse course. The claims quickly gained traction, leading this month to a lawsuit and inquiries by product-safety regulators in the U.S. and Canada."

Nearly11% of Procter & Gamble's $79 billion revenue comes from the pampers brand.

Yikes, right?   It just fuels my decision to cloth diaper.  Hopefully more parents will now be INFORMED consumers! :)

Also, in case you didn't hear:

Drop-side cribs are malfunctioning and trapping and smothering kids. There have been at least 32 deaths in the last 9 years caused from them.  Several of these cribs have been recalled in the last few years.

Read more here.  Please see all recalls here.

Find the BEST sunscreen!

"Your favorite sunscreen may not be all it’s advertised to be. EWG’s research team found that 92 percent of brand name sunscreens either don’t sufficiently protect skin from sun damage or contain hazardous chemicals — or both.

Ingredients matter - learn if your brand leaves you overexposed to damaging UVA rays, if it breaks down in the sun, or if it contains potential hormone-disrupting compounds. Find your sunscreen, and possibly better choices, in EWG’s sunscreens database. "

Check out EWG's 2010 Sunscreen Guide
Find your sunscreen here and see what it's rated.

California Baby is a great brand for the whole family!!! :)

Organic can be EXPENSIVE!

Anyone else noticed that buying organic fruit and veggies can get expensive fast!? I  try to buy organic at my local farmer's market, or Henry's/Sprouts but it can get expensive. Because we can't really "afford" to buy all organic all the time, I usually only try to organically buy the 12 fruits and veggies treated with the most pesticides.  Check out this updated 2010 list below of which 12 fruits and veggies are treated with the most pesticides and should only be purchased organic. The list also tells you the top 15 that you could purchase non-organic if you need to save money! :)

And why is this stuff important: For MANY reasons...but recently a study showed that ADHD is linked to pesticide exposure. Finally, some people are realizing that pesticides have serious effects on our health. 

MUST Buy Organic (Highest Pesticide index)	Lowest in pesticides (SAVE Money – Don’t need to buy Organic)
1.       Celery	1.       Onions
2.       Peaches	2.       Avocado
3.       Strawberries	3.       Sweet Corn
4.       Apples	4.       Pineapple
5.       Blueberries	5.       Mangos
6.       Nectarines	6.       Sweet Peas
7.       Bell Peppers	7.       Asparagus
8.       Spinach	8.       Kiwi
9.       Kale	9.       Cabbage
10.   Cherries	10.   Eggplant
11.   Potatoes	11.   Cantaloupe
12.   Grapes (imported)	12.   Watermelon
	13.   Grapefruit
	14.   Sweet Potato
	15.   Honeydew Melon

Toxic baby stuff...

After getting convinced to start registering for some mandatory baby stuff by some family and friends (I suppose they want a jump start), I've decided to start doing research on exactly what I need and how in the heck to go about registering for stuff that is "non-toxic" for baby. I already knew I wanted organic unbleached cotton products, and toxic free baby shampoos, bpa free items but I don't think I can register for a organic/chemical free mattress at target?! I quickly became overwhelmed by all the info and I wasn't sure which “non-toxic” items for baby are essential purchases? But now I think I have a pretty good handle on it and here are some things to think about:

-some information taken from various websites and articles:

1. Baby Mattresses: for the crib, bassinet, cosleeper, etc. avoid the plague mattresses that are covered with vinyl, filled with polyurethane foam, and treated with chemical fire retardants. Babies and toddlers spend 10-14 hours a day sleeping, inhaling air just inches away from these dangerous chemicals. Organic mattresses are made with materials like cotton, wool and natural rubber. (If I can't find an affordable mattress, I will have to buy organic cotton mattress pads/sheets to put over conventional mattresses).

2. Waterproof Mattress Pads: “Normal” mattress pads designed for babies utilize vinyl to provide waterproof protection against diaper leaks or accidents. For the same reasons as above, these are definitely not safe. A dense wool puddle pad can also provide waterproof protection, without the poisonous fumes.
3. Cheap Wooden Toys: In general, choosing wooden toys over plastic ones is a win-win for the environment and for your child’s safety. However, know your source. Toys cheaply made (and often in China) often use lead-tainted paints. Lead poisoning is so serious that it’s just not worth taking a single risk. A responsible toy-maker has it’s paints tested for lead. Testing is routine for European manufacturers and may become routine in the US starting in 2010.
4. BPA-contaminated Bottles: Baby bottles made with polycarbonate plastics (clear and hard) emit the toxin BPA. While the seriousness of BPA exposure to young infants is debated in our country, other countries, like Canada, have outlawed BPA-emitting plastics in children’s feeding products. Nowadays, BPA-free baby bottles are easy to find and quite affordable. Still, don’t assume it’s BPA-free. Read the label. Or, just choose glass – it’s definitely safer and more environmentally friendly. (We are totally going old school and trying to go with glass bottles and of course BPA free bottles).

5. BPA-contaminated Sippy Cups: Same as above. Sippy cups are workhorses. It makes sense to opt for stainless steel sippy cups, over BPA-free plastics since they wear well and minimize the use of any plastic.
6. Soft Plastic Teethers: It’s smart to avoid plastic in general, but any soft plastics – like those most baby teethersare made with – are likely to contain phthalates. Phthalates are a class of chemicals that soften plastics. They are hormone disruptors, like BPA. Not something you want baby chewing on. We are going to opt instead for cloth or wooden teethers and those that claims to be phthalate-free plastic teethers.
7. Baby Washes and Lotions: Phthalates come into play here too. Most baby washes and lotions use artificial scents or “fragrances”. Any artificial smell is typically packed with phthalates, ready to do their hormone-disrupting worst. What’s more, these cosmetics are often packed with cancer-causing chemicals, even ones declared “unsuitable for use on infant skin”. There is no adequate policing of the cosmetic industry. You’ve got to become informed at www.CosmeticDatabase.com and/or rely on brands that are certified organic, free of chemical additives. We are going to try and go for products not normally found in baby stores or target...pretty much products that you find at your local whole foods store (Henry's or Sprouts) is probably A-okay with us.
For a case study, see Johnson & Johnson products Removed from Shelves in China
8. Popular Diaper Creams: Diaper creams are cosmetics too and likely to carry the same concerns as the above.
9. Pesticides in Baby Food: Pesticides are poisons. Their “safety” levels are based on exposure in adults, not in tiny baby bodies that eat far more produce than the average adult. Buying organic baby food definitely adds up faster than conventionally grown baby food, but we think it’s worth it. I know this can get expensive so perhaps I will try my hand at making baby food at home from organic produce. It has to be bit cheaper, right?. Or maybe I can grow my own organic produce (wishful thinking)!

10. Disposable Diapers: Not too well known is the fact that disposable diapers aren’t entirely “pure” no matter how white they’ve been bleached (and actually, bleach is part of the problem). Disposable diapers contain chemicals that are known to cause skin irritations, bleeding, fever, infection, cancer, sterility, and even death if ingested.

Of course, using cloth diapers is what we are going for. But for those times when we want to use disposable, safer options include Tushies and 7th Generation. And they sell 7th generation and local retailers (Target)! Yay!

So with all that being said, I will probably register at a local retailer like Target or Baby's R Us and of course Kaboodle.com and try to find the products I am looking for. Of course we have told family and friends that we are totally into using "pre-loved" or used baby stuff. So if you know someone who is giving away or selling a crib or anything else you think we can use, please let us know.

Our BABY WISH LIST on kaboodle.com
My PREGNANCY WISH LIST on kaboodle.com

I haven't registered at any local retailers yet...


Note: Many safety experts warn new parents to never, ever, ever use a previously-owned crib. You could lose the directions, assemble it wrong, or inadvertently buy a recalled product. Rest assured, anything we get that is "pre-loved" will get a thorough investigation...would you expect anything less from me. ;) We've decided not to go with a used car seat for obvious reasons...beside Josh is having too much fun looking for "the perfect" car seat system. :)

Nail polish...

I love, love, love to have my nails painted and go for a bi-weekly mani & pedi at my local nail salon. But that has changed. I've vowed to stay out of nail salons and I am currently looking for an all "GREEN" toxin free salon. I've heard they have them, so let me know if there is one near me. :)
So, I've decided to just paint my own toes and finger nails during this pregnancy. As I was reading one of my MANY pregnancy books, I came across a list that said you should avoid nail polish while pregnant or breast feeding. I was shocked!! Of course I had to know why it should be avoided and I researched it like crazy!

Turns out that almost all nail polish have formaldahyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate. Since the nails are an extension of the skin, the chemicals are absorbed into your body and can make you sick. Long term exposure to these toxins can cause cancer and other serious illness. Toxic chemicals in cosmetics are especially dangerous for pregnant women, as the chemicals can enter the bloodstream of the mother and harm the development of the fetus.

After researching different brands of nail polish...I've decided to order "Polished Mama" nail paint. I absouletly love it. It is a little expensive but it's worth it to me because I love nail polish! :) Check it out and make sure you research your nail polish remover too. Polished mama has a great one too! ;)

-----------------------FYI:
Toluene

Toluene is a chemical that contributes to that distinctive “nail polish smell”. Toluene mostly affects the central nervous system if inhaled, causing headaches, forgetfulness, and confusion. If you’re exposed to it at low levels every day— while working in a nail salon, for example—toluene can also cause fatigue and nausea.

While the symptoms of toluene exposure end once you stop breathing the fumes, it stays in your body for a long time. Your body stores it in places where there is a lot of fatty tissue or a lot of blood: your brain, your liver, and in your fatty deposits. There’s also evidence from animals that exposure to toluene can cause birth defects, usually brain damage, in a developing fetus. Pregnant women especially should avoid using nail polish that contains toluene.

In short, avoiding toluene is good for your brain and your baby’s brain if you’re pregnant. And if everyone who uses nail treatments demands that toluene be stripped out of these products, this will benefit the nail salon professionals who won’t be exposed to it all day.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a chemical you might remember from high school biology—those frogs you had to dissect were floating in it. It’s probably also in your nail polish or your favorite drugstore strengthener, because it’s a preservative.

Formaldehyde has been tagged as a chemical that might cause cancer by the Environmental Protection Agency. Some people also experience irritation of the skin when exposed to products that contain it.

If you’re checking your makeup labels for the word “formaldehyde” you might not see it, but it could still be there. Some other chemicals can release formaldehyde when they break down. These include:

• Diasolidinyl urea
• DMDM hydantoin
• Imidazolidinyl
• Quaternium-15

You’re not a pickled frog: be smart and pick nail products and cosmetics without formaldehyde. Also, watch out for formaldehyde resins.

Dibutyl phthalate

Dibutyl phthalate is still being researched, but the evidence points to many disturbing effects. It’s a plasticizing chemical used in nail polishes, topcoats, and strengtheners to make the paint flexible and tough. It’s also been shown to cause birth defects in animals exposed to large quantities of DPT. The concern about dibutyl phthalate is so great that the European Union has completely banned it from cosmetics.

While you aren’t going to get a huge dose of dibutyl phthalate from having your tootsies painted pink, you’re also exposed to it from other sources, such as certain types of hard plastic packaging. So any time you can eliminate exposure from another source, you’re lowering the overall dose you get hit with. That’s a good thing.

Informed mama..

As most of you know, before I became pregnant I spent a lot of time researching different toxins in common household products and cosmetics and have decided to make our household a "toxin-free" environment. Doing so has been a long process but I think it will be worth it in the long run.. although I still have tons of work to do.
The most frustrating part is when others tell me "whats the big deal..it's 'just a little bit' of carcinogens or toxins in any given product"..but what people don't realize is that it all ADDS UP! A little in your detergent, deodorant, makeup, nail polish, candles, air fresheners, water, perfumes...and so on. It's no wonder kids these days are suffering from asthma and other allergies that can be prevented (in most cases).
Rates of childhood asthma have increased by 400% since the 1970s, and there is a clear connection between children's breathing problems and their mothers' use of household cleaners.
The 11 most common products used by pregnant women in a particular study, were disinfectant, bleach, carpet cleaner, window cleaner, dry cleaning fluid, aerosols, turpentine or white spirit, air fresheners, paint stripper, paint or varnish and pesticides or insecticides.
The finding of the study suggest that children whose mothers made frequent use of chemical-based domestic products during pregnancy were more likely to wheeze persistently throughout early childhood, independent of many other factors.

Looks like natural products your grandmother would have used, like baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar, are going to be much better for developing fetuses!

I can go on and on and on about this kind of stuff...want to read more about those nice smelling TOXIC air fresheners/candles you use...click here! :)

Here are some ways I try to reduce the toxins in my home:
-I use soy candles ONLY!
-I use a human friendly non-toxic laundry detergent
-I make my own deodorant...yes you heard me right! lol :)
-I use bare minerals makeup
-I use baking soda, lemon or vinegar to clean. I also use some "seventh generation" products.
-I do NOT use any toxic air fresheners!!
-I use safe not-toxic sunscreen and body lotions.
-I use Aubrey Organics Shampoo & Conditioner.
-I try to stay away from using plastics and I've cleaned my house of all plastics containing BPA.
.....

Why did I go into all that you ask?...well, it's simple. This pregnancy is opening my eyes to other ways to make my body a toxic free environment for my baby. I want to be the best mama I can be starting NOW...not when our baby gets here. I will be sharing some of the products I've found and use that our toxin free and I will blog about my journey to preparing my self spiritually for this most important journey.

Have questions? Email me or leave a comment.

:)